Chain for electric-lighting fixtures



May. 18 1926.

. A. C. RECKER CHAIN FOR ELECTRIC LIGHTING FIXTURES Filed August 27 92 Patented May 18, 1926.

unrrsn stares AIDOLPI-I C. BECKER, OF OAKVILLE, COIIEIECTICUT, ASSIG-NOB TO CHASE COM- PANIES, me, or WATERBU'RY,

CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION.

CHAIN FOB, ELECTRIC-LIGHTING FIXTURES.

Application filed August 27, 1924-. Serial No. 734,540.

Fig. 1 is a broken view in side elevation of one form which a chain embodying my invention may assume.

Fig. 2 is a corresponding view, taken at a right angle to Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a detached view, in side elevation, of one of the cage-like links.

Fig. 4; is a corresponding view, taken at a right angle to Fig. 3,

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the link.

Fig. 6 is an underside view thereof.

Fig. 7 is a view of one of the blanks from which such links are formed.

My invention relates to an improved chain for electric lighting fixtures, the object being to produce, at a low cost for manufacture, a convenient, effective and attractive, cage-like chain, constructed with particular reference to having the electric cord passed directly through the center of it, so as to be concealed and protected by it.

With these ends in view, my invention consists in a chain for electric lighting fixtures composed of a plurality of lIllZGPlOGJGCl, cage-like links, each composed of a complementary pair of leaves united by a reach having a passage for the electric wire or cord and the said leaves being provided with as sembly-openings and at their opposite ends with suspension-members.

My invention further consists in a chain for electric lighting fixtures having certain details of construction as will be hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

, In carrying out my invention as herein shown, each cage-like link is formed from a single piece of sheet-metal and comprises a substantially rectangular reach 10 having a wire-passage in the form of a central perforation 11 surrounded by flange 12 and the said link also comprising two complementary, oppositely-located, substantially parallel leaves originatin at opposite points r upon the said reach 10 and each leaf having two double-convex corner-members 13 and a transverse suspension-member or bar 1 unit ing the outer ends of the said corner-members, which are separated from each other by a central, longitudinal assembly-opening 15 given an elongated, hour-glass shape by tapering the said corner-members from their middle portions toward their respective ends. These corner-members are bent on their longitudinal axes into triangular form, and the four corner-members of the two leaves, being arranged quarter-ing with respect to each other, give each link the form of a skeletonized, rectangular tube in which the assembly-openings 15 are opposite each other and in which similar openings 16 formed be tween the adjacent edges of the cornermembers of the respective leaves are also located opposite each other, but the openings 16 are not utilized in assembling the links Links so constructed are coupled together by passing the suspension-member end 14 of one of the leaves of a link at a right angle through the assembly-openings 15 of the respective leaves of the other link and then turning the two links with respect to each other until they fall into line, when the suspension-members 14; of one link will engage with the inner face of the reach 10 of the other link,

My improved chain, as thus produced, consists of a series of cage-like, interlocked links traversed by a central wire-passage created by the perforations in the reaches of the several links, this passage providing for the reception of the electric wire or covered cord which is protected and in part concealed, whereas, in ordinary chains for electric lighting fixtures, the wire is threaded in and out between the links of the chain, so as to be more or less exposed, with the additional disadvantages of marring the design of the chain itself. In any chain so constructed, the upper link will be provided with a nipple 17 having hooks 18 adapted to be hooked under the suspension-members of the upper link, while the lowermost link will be provided with a nipple 19 swaged over the inner face of its reach, as at 20. The links may, of course, be varied in design, giving them other than the rectangular shape shown, and they may also be varied in skeletonization without departing from my invention.

I claim:

1. An electric-lighting-fixture chain-link comprising a reach having a wire-passage, and two complementary leaves originating at opposite points upon the said reach, bent to substantially parallelism with each other and each perforated and folded to form two corner-members separated by an assemblyopening and a suspension-member at the end thereof, opposite said reach.

An electric-lighting-fixture chainlink comprising a substantially-rectangula1 reach having a central wire-passage, and two complementary, substantially-paiallel leaves originating at opposite points upon the said reach and each leaf having two corner-members of angular cross-section, separated by an assembly-opening and connected at the end opposite the said reach by a suspensionmember, whereby the link is given a substantially-rectangular form with two oppositely-located assen'ib1y-0penings In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification.

ADOLPH C. BECKER 

